


archaic

by orca_mandaeru



Series: unfinished drabble collection [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Basilisks, Drabble, Gen, Legends, M/M, Magic, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 09:56:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19990219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orca_mandaeru/pseuds/orca_mandaeru
Summary: “I have a basilisk problem,” is the first thing Taeil hears when he opens the door.





	archaic

“I have a basilisk problem,” is the first thing Taeil hears when he opens the door. He slams it shut and presses his back up against it, mildly panicking. Not only because the man outside his door was incredibly attractive, but because he was almost certainly after Taeil’s yales. The last person who came to Taeil’s door saying that was a very rude man who had unnecessarily yelled at him, and had tried to steal a yale right away from him. At the risk of seeming cliche, Taeil had turned him into a toad. He regretted it, only because toads were lovely creatures and too good for that thief. Perhaps a parasitic worm would have been more fitting. 

This is a dilemma, because the most breathtaking creature he’s ever seen is still standing outside his door. But even for him, Taeil would never ever put his beautiful yales in danger. He shouldn’t keep the visitor waiting any longer. 

Taeil opens the door to the stranger wringing his hands. “You’d better come inside,” he says through slightly pursed lips. The man looks at him nervously, probably thinking of all the townspeoples’ tales of the witch on the hill. 

Taeil ushers his guest to the table, bustling around making goldenrod tea. He watches out of the corner of his eye as the stranger gnaws on his nails and stares wide-eyed at the hanging bundles of drying herbs. 

“Tell me about yourself,” Taeil says, sitting and sliding a steaming cup over. “Careful, it’s hot. You said there’s a basilisk around?”

The stranger stares suspiciously at the drink for a moment before scooping it up and gulping it down like he was getting it over with, slapping a hand to his mouth when the hot liquid scalds him. Taeil waits patiently for him to finish choking. 

“My name is Lee Taeyong.”

“Nice to meet you,” Taeil says, reaching out for a shake. Taeyong takes it, one had rubbing his sore throat. His palms are slender but rough, calloused from years of work.

“I saw it.” Taeyong shudders, taking a slower sip of tea after blowing on it. “It was terrible. The sounds...and the slithering. It’s been eating my chickens. I asked around and no one wanted to help, but the butcher told me yales could fight basilisks and that you kept them, so…”

Taeil hums and runs his finger over the pockmarked tabletop. “Do you know much about yales, Taeyong?” 

He shakes his head. “I don’t know about many animals but chickens. I sell eggs at the market, you see.”

“Yales are beautiful creatures, Taeyong. They’re almost as intelligent as humans, and a great deal wiser, if I do say so myself. And they’re not fighters by heart. I really would like to help you, but I can’t risk the death of one of my yales, I’m sorry.” 

Taeyong wilts, staring despondently into his teacup. Taeil reaches over and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll still try to help you. There must be another way. Come back here this time tomorrow and I’ll see what we can do.”

Taeyong looks left and right, out the window at the darkening sky. “Could we possibly start now?” he asks. “The basilisk was right next to the gate when I left. I barely got out alive. The chickens will be alright, won’t they?” 

Taeil sighs. He had plans this evening, which mostly consisted of finishing that engaging new botanical treatise. But there were much bigger concerns at hand, and he was starting to realize that the poor chickens would most likely not be alright, and neither would any other living being in the general vicinity if someone didn’t take care of that basilisk as soon as possible. Taeil sighs a second time, which makes Taeyong start up his fidgeting again. 

Taeil makes up his mind and reaches over to take his guest’s twitching hands, trying to change his expression to be as reassuring as possible. “You’re right, we should do something as soon as we can. Follow me.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](http://twitter.com/orca_mandaeru)


End file.
